Minnesota Twins DFA Infielder Despite Impressive Stats

The Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday that they have designated infielder Diego Castillo for assignment to make room for the return of right-hander Brock Stewart. 

Castillo, 26, had a brief stint with the Twins, appearing in four games since his call-up from Triple-A St. Paul on July 14. 

During his time, he went 2-for-6 with a double, two walks, and a strikeout in eight plate appearances. 

Despite his limited time in the majors, Castillo has demonstrated solid performance in the minors, hitting a combined .274/.382/.403 in 296 plate appearances between the Triple-A affiliates for Baltimore and Minnesota.

He has a strong track record in Triple-A, hitting .290/.402/.406 in 1073 plate appearances over parts of four seasons. 

Castillo offers versatility, having played primarily as a shortstop but also covering second base, third base, both corner outfield positions, and first base. 

However, his opportunities in the big leagues have been scarce, with his longest look coming in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he struggled with a .206/.251/.382 line in 283 plate appearances.

The Twins, with their depth in the infield, found it challenging to provide Castillo with ample playing time. 

Even with several infielders on the injured list, including Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa, and Jose Miranda, the Twins have managed to fill the positions with other players. 

Minnesota will either trade Castillo or place him on outright waivers within the next five days. 

Meanwhile, the reinstatement of Brock Stewart, who boasts a remarkable 0.66 ERA over 41 innings dating back to 2023, bolsters the Twins' bullpen as they continue to navigate their season.

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